Liquid ejection method and liquid ejecting apparatus

Abstract

A liquid ejection method of ejecting liquid from a movable ejection head onto a medium comprises the steps of: detecting a position of an end of the medium; and changing, according to a feed amount of the medium fed after the position of the end of the medium has been detected, at least either a starting position or a terminating position for ejecting the liquid from the ejection head being moved.

1. A liquid ejection method of ejecting liquid from a movable ejection head onto a medium, said method comprising:
 detecting a position of an edge of the medium, wherein the edge is substantially perpendicular to a main-scanning direction; and 
 setting, based on a result of detecting the position of the edge of the medium, an area to which the liquid is to be ejected, 
 wherein the main-scanning direction is a direction in which the movable ejection head travels; 
 wherein the area to which the liquid is to be ejected is set by changing, according to a feed amount of the medium fed after the position of the edge of the medium has been detected, at least either a starting position or a terminating position, in the main-scanning direction, for ejecting the liquid from the ejection head being moved; and 
 wherein the ejection head starts liquid ejection at the starting position and terminates liquid ejection at the terminating position; and 
 the greater the feed amount is, the further the start of liquid ejection is advanced or the further the termination of liquid ejection is delayed in the main-scanning direction. 
 
   
   
     2. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , wherein the start of liquid ejection is advanced or the termination of liquid ejection is delayed in proportion to a magnitude of the feed amount. 
   
   
     3. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least either the starting position or the terminating position, in the main-scanning direction for ejecting the liquid from the ejection head being moved is changed according to
 the feed amount of the medium fed after the position of the edge of the medium has been detected, and 
 a predicted maximum skew angle of the medium. 
 
   
   
     4. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , where the liquid is ejected targeting on an entire surface of the medium. 
   
   
     5. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the position of the edge of the medium is detected by a sensor; 
 the sensor includes
 a light emitting section for emitting light, and 
 a light receiving sensor for receiving the light that moves in the main scanning direction in accordance with a movement of the sensor in the main-scanning direction; and the position of the edge of the medium is detected according to a change in an output value of the light receiving sensor that is caused by passing of the light, which has been emitted from the light emitting section moving in the main-scanning direction, across the edge of the medium. 
 
 
   
   
     6. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 each position of two edges of the medium that differ in position in the main-scanning direction is detected according to a change in output values of the light receiving sensor that is cause by passing of the light, which has been emitted from the light emitting section moving in the main-scanning direction, across each of the two edges of the medium; 
 the starting position is changed in accordance with the position of one of the two edges having been detected; and 
 the terminating position is changed in accordance with the position of the other one of the two edges having been detected. 
 
   
   
     7. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 while making the moving member move in the main-scanning direction, 
 the position of the edge of the medium is detected according to a change in an output value of the light receiving sensor that is caused by passing of the light, which has been emitted from the light emitting section moving in the main-scanning direction, across the edge of the medium, and 
 the liquid is ejected from the ejection head onto the medium. 
 
   
   
     8. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the position of the edge of the medium is detected by a sensor; 
 the sensor is provided in/on a movable moving member that comprises the ejection head; and 
 the sensor includes
 a light emitting section for emitting light, and 
 a light receiving sensor for receiving the light that moves in a main-scanning direction in accordance with a movement of the sensor in the main-scanning direction. 
 
 
   
   
     9. A liquid ejection method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the liquid is ink; and 
 printing is carried out on a print medium, which is the medium, by ejecting the ink from the ejection head. 
 
   
   
     10. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 an ejection head, movable in a main-scanning direction, for ejecting liquid; 
 a sensor for detecting a position of an edge of the medium, wherein the edge is substantially perpendicular to the main-scanning direction; and 
 a controller for setting, based on a result of detecting the position of the edge of the medium by the sensor, an area to which the liquid is to be ejected, 
 wherein the main-scanning direction is a direction in which the movable ejection head travels; 
 wherein the area to which the liquid is to be ejected is set by changing, according to a feed amount of the medium fed after the position of the edge of the medium has been detected, at least either a starting position or a terminating position, in the main-scanning direction, for ejecting the liquid from the ejection head being moved; and 
 wherein the ejection head starts liquid ejection at the starting position and terminates liquid ejection at the terminating position; and 
 the greater the feed amount is, the further the start of liquid ejection is advanced or the further the termination of liquid ejection is delayed in the main-scanning direction.